Hotels near Barnsdale Gardens

For more than 13 years, Barnsdale was the mainstay of BBC TV's Gardeners' World (remember twinkly Geoff Hamilton with his 'Good Life' jumpers and cat, Dennis) and it is now one of the area's most popular destinations, winning a coveted silver 'Small Visitor Attraction of the Year' Award from the East Midlands Tourist Board.

Whether you're a keen gardener, someone with a tiny courtyard or a visitor looking for a wonderful day out, Barnsdale's 38 amazing gardens will keep the whole family happily occupied for a long morning before lunch in the friendly tea room or an ice cream in the sun. There's always something new to see, and the gardens are open daily, all year round!

As Britain's largest collection of individually designed gardens, Barnsdale is a great place to come for inspiration, but there's so much more to see and do! Wildlife-watchers can strike out into the woodlands to see what they can discover under bushes or up in the trees, or look for frogs, newts and dragonflies in the ponds and streams. Feeder and nest-box cameras give a close-up view of the busy birds and for young nature detectives there are colouring sheets and trails, which can be collected free from the garden entrance.

Barnsdale Gardens also offers a year-round menu of courses and events to inspire all gardeners, whether they are complete novices or long-term enthusiasts. Fans of the arts are well catered for too with music events, art exhibitions and painting and photography classes, and everyone can expect some fun at one of the many family activity days.

And there's no better place to go for ideas and free advice on vegetable and fruit growing; the Barnsdale nursery sells organic seeds to get you started, as well as hundreds of choice and unusual plants.

With all this plus free weekend events throughout the summer months, if you're looking for a wonderful day out in the open air, Barnsdale is positively blooming with great ideas.